


The Misadventures of a Literal Grave Digger.

by WeCouldBeCircumbinary



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Black Romance, F/F, F/M, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance, Red Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-10-15
Updated: 2012-11-29
Packaged: 2017-11-16 08:12:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/537351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeCouldBeCircumbinary/pseuds/WeCouldBeCircumbinary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time she introduces them, she is understanding. </p><p>The first time she eats lunch with him, she is fond.</p><p>The first time she stays up all night talking to him, she is suspicious. </p><p>The first time she goes to the park with him, she is in denial.</p><p>Her name is Aradia Megido, and something about that boy just makes her swoon like the fairytale princess she will, never, ever be. Because she is a literal grave digger, digging her hypothetical grave deeper, and deeper, and deeper.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Interesting Is All He Was - Reely!

**Author's Note:**

> I don't really know where I'm going with anything I write, do I?  
> Oh, well. This is going to be a long but fun ride, I can already tell.  
> 2spooky OTP is in the air.
> 
> Also, guys, I am going to make this known now to prevent hate:  
> I do not have anything against Feferi Peixes. And while Fef/Sol is my least favorite ship, I don't /care/ if you ship it. Everyone's got opinions. However, in this story, I will bash, tear apart, and completely ruin their relationship. I will explain the little reasons they did not work, and a lot of the characters will be against their dating. So, uh, trigger warning, I guess. However, I don't mind the ship even if it isn't my favorite - I don't mind any ship. Its all for the sake of the story. Just thought I would let you know, because I know some people are (rightfully) sensitive about it, and I do not mean to offend at all.
> 
> So, I love you guys for all the appreciation you've given me, and I hope I can write up to your expectations, dearies. <3
> 
> Enjoy.

The first time she introduces them, she is understanding. She sees exactly what Feferi does in Sollux, and maybe even a bit more, as Fef rarely looks past the surface.

The first time she eats lunch with him, she is fond. She grows an even stronger sense of why her fishy friend simply swoons over what seems to be just a nerdy little tech guy. 

The first time she stays up all night talking to him, she is suspicious. Not of him; the main topic of most of their chatting is actually of Feferi, but more so of herself and the ways her own eyes dart to avoid contact, and yet they cannot stay off him.

The first time she goes to the park with him, she is in denial. Convincing herself that this is merely platonic – if she cannot do that, then she simply convinces herself that it is a silly infatuation that will fade, oh please, God, just fade away before someone notices.

Her name is Aradia Megido, and something about that boy just makes her swoon like the fairytale princess she will, never, ever be. Because she is a literal grave digger, digging her hypothetical grave deeper, and deeper, and deeper.

\-----

“Aradia!”

The peppy, familiar voice brings aforementioned Hawaiian girl out of her trance. Well, mostly Hawaiian, anyway – her skin was darker, heavily freckled and hair a deep shade of russet that shone like fire. Her eyes were a dark burgundy, so brown they read maroon, body curvaceous and almost entrancing. That was, if anyone really saw her. She constantly lived in Feferi’s shadow – she was tall and blonde, skin carefully tanned in a salon but looking gorgeous, lightly freckled and eyes a shimmering blue, body slender and athletic – but Aradia never really did mind. They were polar opposites; Aradia all dark hues, Feferi all lights, Aradia thick and Feferi thin, Feferi peppy and Aradia often on the tail end of things, even if she was naturally optimistic, with an feminine but alto voice, Fef’s light and high-pitched, but not obnoxious.

Then, there was the obvious opposite; Feferi was a nursing student, and though Aradia was studying archaeology, she still worked on the side as a grave digger.  
It wasn’t a glamorous job, she knew. Fef was always trying to get her to quit, to get a new one. However, she always found an odd sort of calm when on the sanctified ground, near the dead and alone save the voices that haunted her mind. The voices of those she surrounded herself with when she worked. She wouldn’t tell anyone about her mania of course – she took her pills, went to class, and no one knew the better. And it would stay that way.

Back to the present, though; she jumped a bit as Feferi called for her, book nearly falling from her hands – “another ghost story, Ara, reely?” – before she managed to catch it, saving her page before looking up at Fef and… Boy?

Boy, in this case, seemed to be her new catch. Fef was a catch and release kind of girl when it came to dating, the release normally sooner rather than later, but it was no surprise to see her clinging to his arm like a buoy, giggling and grinning and being the all around gorgeous and charismatic girl Aradia knew her to be. No wonder she stole all the attention.

At this moment, though, her catch’s eyes were curiously trained of Aradia quite intensely. She’d never considered herself much too look at, seeing as no one ever really looked at her for very long unless the look was disapproving or weirded out, so this was quite the odd occasion. 

This boy; he was interesting, as well. Tall and lanky, filled out but hinting at gawkiness in his early years, he was sandy-haired with bi-colored eyes, one blue and one brown-maroon, much like her own. He was all angles, really, softened with maturity but still sharp, lanky. Attractive. 

Er, no. Just interesting. That’s all he was. Probably some computer tech nerd she picked up in the hallway, just dying to be with the queen bee. Or fish. Whatever. 

Despite her inner protests, though, she could see that he had potential. Aradia'd always had skill in reading people, and it was quite obvious that he was intelligent, sweet but snarky and while he could be rude, and while he had a side of him that had to be sated, he was a worthwhile catch if you could handle what you reeled in.

“Sollux, this is who I was telling you about!” What on Earth did Feferi have to say about her? “Ara, this Sollux Captor, a tech major and my new boyfrond! Sol, this is Aradia Megido, the grave digger-girl!” Oh, jesus. Already loosing points with the new boyfriend and the Aries hadn’t even spoken to him yet. Oh, yeah, she was supposed to be greeting him. 

“A pleasure,” she hummed, holding out a hand and smiling softly as the boy – Sollux, she’d said – reached out to shake it, not at all hesitant. Hm.

“Yeah. Interethting pathhtime you’ve got there.” The lisp was pretty charmi – interesting. Yes, interesting. 

Aradia chuckled softly, shrugging and nodding. The café she was sitting at suddenly seemed too crowded, and yet much more pleasant all the same. “You could say that. I can’t say it makes me many friends, but the few I do make are great at keeping secrets.”

Feferi’s eyes widened a bit, still unused to her best friend’s morbid humour – she’ll have to be used to it someday – but Sollux burst out laughing, grinning toothily, ear to ear, and as dorky as it made him look, Aradia had to say that it was quite endearing. She didn’t even try to convince herself otherwise on that one. 

“That’th great, AA. Pure gold.” AA? Hm. She didn’t mind it, actually. She simply laughed along with him, smoothing her dress down as she stood, book tucked under her arm and slinging her messenger’s bag over her shoulder, fingers skimming the maroon-and-beige-striped strap that crossed her chest lightly, material familiar under red-painted nails. 

“Well, I must thank you. Just as well, I think I’ll be taking my leave. I’ve got to study and whatnot, and make sure Dave didn't trash the apartment, or have any parties or anything while I was gone. We’ll have to meet up sometime for a real sit-down lunch, yes?” Aradia’s eyes flashed back and forth from Feferi and Sollux, skin crawling somewhat pleasantly as she realized his eyes shifted and moved many times, but never once left her form – she reprimanded herself, though, for enjoying the feel of his gaze.

“Shore!! That would be super fun! Let’s sea, it’s Monday, so…”

“Thurthday, maybe?” 

After a bit of back and forth negotiation, a date for noon on Wednesday was planned to meet up at Strider Beats, so Aradia could drop off her things at her apartment upstairs, and then they could decide where to go from there.

Walking off, Aradia decided that as long as she reminded herself that all Sollux seemed to be was interesting, then this could really be quite fun.


	2. Red (Plus) Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long! I should have another chapter or two posted within a few days, if not by the end of the day today. It's short, but a lot of the chapters will be, because there will probably be a lot of chapters.
> 
> Enjoy! <3

A knack for time - it was a blessing and a curse, really. Aradia was concious of nearly every scond that ticked by, the pocketwatch that hung from the chain around her neck completely useless when its silent ticks were mimicked by her interal tick, tock, 'round the clock. It never ceased, and while she was never late to anything unless she wanted to be, waiting for time to pass was like trying to turn a dead man into a raconteur. Which is to say, it really just isn't very effective.

However, time passed quickly enough in its own right if she busied herself, the ticks and tocks in her mind not quite ceasing, but dulling behind the wall of distraction. And even though she knew exactly how long it should've taken her, for some reason, she busied herself over what to wear, if she wore too much make-up, if her hair was too frizzy; all the little things she never gave a second thought. A laugh and a reassurance from Dave, though, at least made her feel a little better.

"What the hell are you doing that's got'cha all freaked out, Megido?"

"Freaked out?" Aradia laughed softly, shaking her head. "I'm not freaked out! Just... Indecisive is all. Really! I'm going to lunch to meet Feferi and her new boyfriend, Sollux, on Wednesday."

"Oh, Captor? I know that kid. Surpised he's dating anybo-"

"Hey, he's pretty nice! Don't be mean, Da-"

"No, no, that's not what I mean. The guy's pretty chill. I just mean, he's not really the dating type. Kinda bipolar, really self-demeaning and every time we've hung out, he's sneered at any couple he's seen." Dave shrugged, and Aradia quirked a brow curiously. Hm. If he wasn't much of a relationship guy, then why was he with Feferi? Sure, they were nearly always short-lived, but her hook-ups were always the center of attention. Interesting.

"Aradia, I can see those gears turning - what're you thinking of?"

"Nothing! Just curious is all." Dave rolled his eyes, but was willing to settle for that. 

"C'mere, you crazy-ass broad. Model for me or something, that's what always helps you, right?"

Aradia cracked a grin, practically skipping into her room to do so. She tried on a lot - a casual maroon dress, holey jeans and a button-up formal shirt of Dave's he'd grown out of, a skirt and tucked-in t-shirt, and too many other things to recount, all in tones of reds to maroons to browns, a few blacks and whites, but never straying to far from that. It was all she ( and Dave ) owned, really. Finally, both she and her roomate settled on something new: a black sweater, one that she could pull down over her hands and that was warm, loose but form fitted, the neck wide and baring dark-skinned shoulders. Underneath, maroon cut-off shorts and black pantyhose, topped off with red sneakers ( heels were pointless with her height ). 

She... Liked it, actually. And apparently Dave did, too.

Despite having her eyes closed to take off her eyeshadow, she wasn't an ouce shocked when she found arms weaving around her waist, a chin resting against her shoulder. "Why're you so anxious for something two days from now?"

She didn't want to lean back against him, but she did. She didn't want to turn towards him, but she did. She didn't want him to kiss her, but surprise surprise, he did and she kissed back and damn it, she always fell for this. And she loved it every single time. She loved the dig of callused fingers into soft hips and the tug of teeth, the flick of tongue and gasps of breath. She loved the bite of the cold air when an article of clothing was removed and she loved the screams, the moans, the heat. Most of all, she loved the regret she felt when she woke up naked in the wrong room, because when she felt it, at least she was positive that she still knew this was wrong.


	3. Rendezvous and Curiosities.

_Sweater; check._

_Pantyhose and shorts; check._

_Sneakers; check._

_Hair band, in case of renegade curls trying to get a taste of her food; check._

_Sanity; oh, it's around here somewhere... Right! There it is. Not in great shape, but it'll work._

Aradia was tired, back in a somewhat insipid mood, the lunch date suddenly seeming paltry and distasteful, but Dave was forcing her out the door before she could even form a decent protest.

"You've been ranting about this shit all day, fuckin' hell, Megido! Get your shit together and get over there. You'll feel better when you're there."

She hated to admit that he was right, but Strider had a knack for knowing her all too well.

Spotting Sollux in a booth, she slid into the seat across from him, the soft sounds of the quaint little shop draining from her attenion as she set her focus on him - anyone she was speaking to got treated to this, really. Her full attention. It used to be reserved for friends and such, as a form of respect - put up with her willingly, and get all the attention and ears for listening, lips for sassy remarks and advice any time one wanted it. Now, though, it was just habit. Anyone she spoke to gained that.

That seemed to affect him, though - probably used to Feferi's lasping attention and fleeting care, he seemed a bit shocked by the obvious training of attenion. His mismatched eyes flickered, flitted, before settling on her, and Aradia pursed her lips, shifting her seating.

"Where's Feferi?"

"Bathroom." Sollux waved his hand in the general direction of the restrooms. Aradia nodded in acknowledgement.

"Did you order yet?"

He shook his head. "No, jutht got our drinkth." Another nod, and then a small silence, though her eyes never left him. Sollux didn't shift uncomfortably, not as she expected him to do, but rather rested his arms on the tables, cocking his head slightly and suddenly seeming a whole lot more interested in her being there. "Tho, what themetary do you work at, AA?"

"What cemetary?" Aradia blinked, not answering for a moment, more or less shocked, but shook it off and shrugged, folding her hands in her lap. "Saint Dolorosa, down by the old abandoned church. Right on the corner of Jones and Fourth."

He seemed to chew that over, nodding slowly as he thought. "Would you be okay with me vithiting you thometime, maybe?"

Aradia blinked, a bit surprised, but a grin cracked her lips as she nodded. "Definitely! That sounds really nice, actually. It'd be... Interesting, really, to get to know you! Feferi's always had quite the good taste in guys."

He seemed to wince at this, almost impercepibly, but her directed attention drew it out. Hm. She also noted the flicker of discomfort as Feferi returned from the bathroom, plopping down in the seat beside Sollux, as well as sitting right in his personal space, half in his lap and grinning like she always did. Was that a subtle grimace she was as he wove that arm around Fef's waist?

Interesting. Very, very interesting.

Aradia fingered the pendant on the chain around her neck, the piece resting lightly against the bottom curve of her chest. The pocketwatch that rested there was thin and old, worn, ticking noiselessly to the tock in her head. Heterochromatic eyes followed the movement, curious.

"What'th up with the pockwatch?"

Looking up completely, then back down at the piece, she chuckled lightly. "I don't know. I've always had a thing for time, I gu-"

"A-ray is always wearing that old thing! I've tried to talk her out of it, 'cause it doesn't match half the stuff she wears, but she's a stubborn clam to pry!" Feferi giggled, waving her hand dismissively, as if the interruption was nothing, as if the question were directed at her, and Aradia was so used to it by now she didn't even have to brush it off. Whatever irritation she might've felt had fallen and dissapted before it could even get to the passive brunette.

Sollux gave her a look, one Aradia had zero trouble reading. His voice spoke in her head the implied words:

_Doethn't that bother you?_

Her shrug was subtle, just a shift of the shoulders to anyone but him, and she returned the verbose glance.

_I'm used to it._

A soft scoff, and then an impressed chuckle escaped the male, and they shared a small smile. An interesting boy, indeed.

Intuitive, obviously intelligent, and quite level-headed, if a bit blatant. She could see the intrigue that Feferi quite obviously felt.

She also can feel, though, that he is up to something. The slightly uncomfortable shifts at Feferi's proximity, the not-quite-closed eyes when she kisses him and the hesitation before every intimate action, as if debating, _is it really worth it? Do I really want to?_

Yes, something was definitely up. She owed it to her best fro - friend to figure out exactly what that something might be.

The lunch went smoothly enough, though, chatting about classes and interests and she tried to ask a lot about Sollux, but Feferi had a knack for coercing the conversation to put more focus on her, _her, **her**_ **.**

Needless to say, Aradia and Sollux shared a lot of those glances throughout lunch.


End file.
